Jordan Valley Terror Attack: 5 Suspects Arrested

Following a sweeping search of the northern Jordan Valley, IDF forces have arrested five PA Arabs.

Arutz Sheva Staff, 11/10/13 03:16

Scene of terror attack (archive)

Israel news photo: Flash 90

Security forces have arrested five Palestinian Authority Arab men on suspicion of carrying out a brutal attack Friday morning killing Sraya Ofer, a retired IDF colonel.

The five were all taken for interrogation by Israel's internal security forces (Shin Bet).

Thursday night, terrorists broke into Ofer's home in the Jordan Valley community of Brosh, brutally murdering him.

Yaya (Sraya) Ofer, in his 60's, served in the Shaldag air force commando unit. His wife Monique Ofer, was lightly injured in the attack and was treated by paramedics at the scene, and then taken to the HaEmek Hospital in Afula.

Ofer said that she and her husband heard a noise outside their home and, upon going outside to check it out, her husband was attacked by Arabs wielding iron bars and axes.

The two attackers reportedly tried to grab the Monique as she fled from the scene, but she managed to escape and stopped a passing car on Route 90 to call security forces.

"I received a call from a woman who said she (and her husband) were attacked inside their home and she managed to run away and stop a passing car for help," a paramedic working the Magen David Adom call center said. "I immediately sent medics in the area to the scene and contacted the security forces."

IDF troops have set up roadblocks in the region and are looking for the attackers, who fled the scene.

Thursday night’s attack is the latest in a series of attacks that have taken place over the past few weeks.

The IDF continues to investigate the attack. Two brothers from the Palestinian Authority town of Kfar el-Bireh have reportedly been arrested as suspects.

On September 22, IDF soldier Gal (Gavriel) Kobi was killed by a terrorist sniper in Hevron.

Several days before this attack, IDF soldier Tomer Hazan was kidnapped and murdered by a PA Arab terrorist with whom he had worked in a restaurant in Bat Yam. The terrorist lured Hazan to Samaria, where he murdered him and disposed of his body.